Sisters Eagle Air Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sisters, Oregon 97759
Sunday, August 9, 2009 9:45 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that he fueled the airplane to maximum gross weight to feel the aircraft’s flight characteristics while practicing maneuvers. After practicing some stalls and slow flight, he approached the airport to land. He said he flew a slightly higher approach speed in consideration of the increased weight. The pilot stated that the windsock was hanging down with no indication of a crosswind during his approach. He made a normal landing that was true and straight, but had a slightly longer than normal roll out. As excess speed bled off, the left wing started to rise. The pilot applied left aileron and left rudder to correct the problem. He looked up and realized he was veering off the runway to the right. He applied braking but departed the asphalt onto very soft sand/dirt at approximately 25 knots. The aircraft nosed over. The airplane’s vertical stabilizer and rudder were bent and wrinkled; the left wing struts were bent and the right upper wing root was buckled. The nearest weather reporting facility, located 17 nautical miles to the east of the accident site, was recording calm winds at the time of the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/9/2009
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 945
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Sisters
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97759
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 441816N
Event Location Longitude 1213221W
Event Location Airport Sisters Eagle Air Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 6K5
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 3168
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 956 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 100
Weather Observation Facility ID KRDM
Elevation of weather observation facility 3080
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 17
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.15
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 25960
NTSB Notification Source FAA ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 6 2009 9:55AM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7670H
NTSB Number WPR09CA394
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-12
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 12-549
Certified Max Gross Weight 1935
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 1 2009 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 4
Airframe Hours 1643
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HAPHEY BRUCE F
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City SISTERS
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97759-9669
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name HAPHEY BRUCE F
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City SISTERS
Operator State OR
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 97759-9669
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code KBDN
Departure City Bend
Departure State OR
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 900
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 6K5
Destination City Sisters
Destination State OR
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 6 2009 9:56AM
User who most recently changed record johb
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 02
Runway Length 3550
Runway Width 30
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --